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Moscato Takes Center Stage

Holiday parties are in full swing, and recently one drink has taken center stage. Moscato! Every soiree we’ve attended or read about (okay, NY Post’s Page 6 is research!) has served its guests this wildly popular wine.

Moscato wine is also known as Muscat…named for the family of grapes. There are hundreds of styles that range in color from white to almost black. The Muscat grape is grown in temperate climates – historically Italy and Greece, but also California and Australia. It’s one of the oldest grapes known to man.

Why Is Moscato So Popular?

So why is it so popular now? Think 1960s Lambrusco or 1990s White Zinfandel. New and younger wine consumers are attracted to the sweetness and slight effervescence of Moscato. And those “youngsters” will play a huge role in future US wine consumption.

According to Wine Spectator, US sales of Moscato shot up 73% in 2010, another 33% in 2011 – and increased consumption has continued each year since then. Many more wineries are making Moscato, plus Hispanics and African Americans – traditionally not wine buyers – are now buying the wine – and promoting it.

A few years ago, Real Housewives of Atlanta star, NeNe Leakes, announced the launch of her new Moscato brand called, Miss Miscato. May 9, 2015 was National Moscato Day with NeNe front and center. According to the reality star, “the woman who drinks Moscato keeps from snapping.” Even more reason to have a glass. Also sharing in the rave are several US Rappers including Waks Flocka and Kendrick Lamar who have included this once-ridiculed grape in their popular songs.

Find the Moscato for You

Call it Moscato sales madness! And it’s music to winemakers’ ears! Gallo, Sutter Home, Beringer and Robert Mondavi have all been making their own versions with sales escalating. (Do those names ring a bell with White Zin?) If you’re on a serious hunt for a bottle of Moscato, visit Snooth.com for their 99 pages of them.

All the big US wine companies are scrambling to make as much as possible – even buying bulk Moscato wine from Spain and Italy.

We’re always thrilled when new wine drinkers find something they enjoy. It’s why we love this business. There’s so much variety and something for everyone. In the end, it’s about sharing something fun and new with friends.